Aviary Therapy

I spent yesterday packing and mailing quilts,  and delivering a serious  commissioned quilt  to it's owner such that I needed some play time. I haven't been able to play for a few weeks so a small painted piece emerges below.  It was total pleasure to do something I felt like doing rather than had to. Bet you all understand.  He's small, but kind of cute.  I love working with transparent inks on fabric.

This was made even more fun through painting on the backside of a piece of Stonehenge fabric.  The   soft mottled beginnings help give this piece a loose feeling.

How True This Is!

I'm going to assume this quote is accurate.
It certainly is brilliant!!!

Who knew Picasso was a philosopher too! 

Simple Quilting for Figures

Finishing up from previous posts on the progress of this piece...
Spiky hair was fun to paint and quilt.

Limited quilting works great on these figures. I like students to enjoy their painting...  not heavily thread them unless doing so enhances the overall image.

Here 'tis all done... faced, sleeve added.  Phil should be happy. He did well.
The method used for facing can be seen at click here to go to
http://pattsart.blogspot.com/2012/10/steps-to-face-art-quilt.html

A Family Memory

First "project in Sedona" to complete is quilting this first time painting by a male friend from my church.  Phil attended my Painted Quilt Art Retreat  in May (see link at top left for info for 2015 retreat) , but does not quilt.  He's a wonderful servant to humanity so I am quilting this for him. This is a small  art quilt piece (about 17" x 21") of grandchildren playing together in shallow waters of June Lake, California.  Here we go...  I first secured central figures with monofilament...

ALOT of water to quilt. 

Phil had only one request.. please some sparkle in the water. I chose 2. One a subtle pale sea foam green/blue by Yenmet... and a multi color Sulky metallic line called SLIVER! ( it's flat) This is a challenge of sorts for me as I seldom like or use metallic threads but it does indeed work here. 

The Sulky "Sliver " used sparingly  adds the little bit of sparkle that Phil wanted. 

I get to take a break and relax so will finish tomorrow.  Happy vacation! 

Hideaway for Productivity

I am in beautiful Sedona... it makes me happy and gives me permission to take life slow...er!   I am staying in my jammies til afternoon if I want....  I do have my Bernina set up and will definitely be quilting some.  I have 2 smaller projects for others so you'll see something as this week progresses.

This is a postcard view I took from Chapel of The Holy Cross. 

and here... the Chapel... What a jewel!!!... funded and  basic design by a brilliant female and refined by the incomparable Frank Lloyd Wright.

The view from my creekside quarters.  I'm a happy girl. 

Loving The Monochromatic

 The rest is all done with Tsukineko inks using Fantastix applicators. Getting the background in truly helps determine value shading on lighter areas.

Same is true with foreground darks.

I'm overall pretty happy with where we are here.  I can now begin thinking about the fabric inset plan.

Beginning a Commission

I am starting a piece of a handsome drum player.  I began with a monochromatic reference photo manipulated in photoshop by someone else. The black,grey,white scheme was impressive and so we are staying with that.  This will be created as a circular painting, later to be inset in another fabric.

This won't be a large piece (maybe 19"width) so the portrait work is fairly tiny. I used the brush tip of a  Fabrico marker, and a pentel Gel Roller for Fabric for early portrait details... I like the gel roller as much and maybe better than micron pigmas  for small work because in this case, I wanted dark black inking.

Now I'm starting to block in where drums will be( all black) and use my Tsukineko inks in grey to start giving contour to his face and shirt.  This is definitely a less is more game.

I'll be softening his hair a bit as I move on, but he is definitely starting to take shape.  I try to take my time on portraits... not hurry the finish too quickly. I like the surroundings blocked in for a good overall picture /view before I start tweaking here and there.

 More to come but I so enjoy doing portrait work.  Click on photo/s for enlarged view.